Congress will form government in Chhattisgarh: Jogi

Raipur, Oct 4 (IANS) Congress leader and former Chhattisgarh chief minister Ajit Jogi claimed Friday that his party would get a thumping majority in the assembly elections in the state in November.

"In Chhattisgarh, Congress will easily form the government... we will get a thumping majority," Jogi told IANS over phone from Delhi.

"I welcome the announcement of the poll dates and his party and workers are fully ready to face elections," he said.

The Election Commission Friday announced poll dates for the five states - Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi and Mizoram in November and December.

Chhattisgarh, where the Bharatiya Janata Party is in power for the past 10 years, will go polls first in two phases - Nov 11 and Nov 19. The results for all five states will be announced on Dec 8.

Responding to a query who would be the party's chief ministerial candidate, Jogi, a bureaucrat-turned-politician, remarked: "Congress does not follow the tradition of announcing candidate for CM's post before polls... After results, party observers will take the final call."

Congress is split into several groups and sub-groups in Chhattisgarh after it was voted out from power in late 2003 assembly polls. The two formidable factions in the state are led by state Congress chief and union minister of state Charandas Mahant and Jogi respectively.

Jogi stated that the "free for all in Chhattisgarh and rampant corruption besides rise in Maoist militancy would help Congress to return to power". He insisted that the Raman Singh government was facing an anti-incumbency wave which would surely benefit Congress for 90-member assembly polls.

In last assembly polls in 2008, the BJP had won 50 seats while the Congress bagged 38 and the Bahujan Samaj Party two seats.

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